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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641804">Deepest Desires</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalcolmReynolds/pseuds/MalcolmReynolds'>MalcolmReynolds</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confessions, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Luka knows, Lukanette, OC Akuma - Freeform, Realizations, akuma fight, unknown desires</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:54:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,528</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641804</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalcolmReynolds/pseuds/MalcolmReynolds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of her rope, trying to help College students decide what they want to do with their life, Mlle. Caron becomes akumatized and shows those hit what their greatest desires are. Marinette is one of the first to be hit.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>244</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Deepest Desires</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quickspinner/gifts">Quickspinner</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Birthday, Quick. No dragons, dead or otherwise, but hopefully you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Not everyone knows what they want to do in their life at 14, in fact, most people don’t, but that didn’t make it any less part of Mlle. Caron’s job, as she helped students to find their best fit for Lycee based on their abilities and interests. After the third student who wanted to go to a certain school because of who was there rather than the programs that they offered, her frustration level was simmering. She managed to hold it together while the next student came in, but at his apathetic, “I’m gonna be a professional athlete, or whatever, so it’s not like I need to learn any of that other stuff,” she was done.</p>
<p>Handing him a list of multiple lycee that had strong athletic programs, she sent him back to class but held off calling for another student. Resting her forearms on her desk, and sinking her head on top of them, Mlle. Caron let out a groan of frustration. They didn’t have an athletics program at College Francoise Dupont, so hopefully, he would get scouted from a private sports team. Not that he would listen to her when she told him that he would need to put the work in on that front.</p>
<p>“Oh, but Desiree, I’ll listen.” The deep voice resonated around her head, as a measure of sympathy settled over her shoulders. “And I will help you learn all of their deepest desires. All I ask in return is for you to fulfill my deepest desire… Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous! Do we have a deal?”</p>
<p>“It’s all I desire, Hawkmoth.” Purple smoke rippled across her body and left Desiree, an akuma who was wreathed in smoke, her reading glasses dangling from a chain, glinting like amethysts, a swipe of her hand sending an individual into a fugue state, staring down their deepest desires. </p>
<p>She entered the closest classroom, the one that was most familiar with akumas, Mlle. Bustier’s, and with a wave of her hand hit several of the students, including the four closest to the door: Nino, Adrien, Marinette, and Alya.</p>
<p>The other students dove to hide beneath their desks, but it didn’t seem to matter, for as quickly as Desiree entered, she left in a swirl of smoke and glitter, leaving the four gazing at what they wanted most in the world.</p>
<p>Marinette found herself in a cozy home. An apartment, she thought, but an expensive one. Several stories up, she looked out the floor to ceiling windows to see the Seine flowing past. Turning, her eyes roamed the walls, taking in the cool blues and sunny yellows. She smiled widely at the front page of a newspaper announcing their victory over Hawkmoth, although as she eagerly stepped forward to read the details, the rest of the article was infuriatingly blurred. </p>
<p>Next to it was her wedding picture. Her face was clear, as was the dress she wore; one of her own designs, she knew that already, recognizing elements of wedding dresses she’d already started doodling. The man standing next to her, however, was lost in a haze. All she could truly tell was that he was taller than her, but that narrowed it down to pretty much every guy she knew. </p>
<p>As she stared at the picture, desperate for any detail of her future husband, sounds filtered in from the other room. Laughter, high pitched and dancing, that of children as they played together. Her children, she realized, listening to see if she could tell how many. As she stepped towards the door, strong hands wrapped around her from behind, her name a rumble from his lips. </p>
<p>Marinette gasped as she recognized the voice turning towards the source. “Luka?”</p>
<p>“Marinette,” he said her name again, and the children’s voices fell away. “Marinette!” The hands were on her shoulders, shaking her lightly not wrapped around her waist. “Marinette!” The voice was tinged with desperation and the blue and yellow fell away to the white and wood of her classroom. </p>
<p>She turned, in reality, this time towards Luka, blinking at him, confused. “What? L-luka? Why are you here?” </p>
<p>“Juleka called. She said that your guidance counselor was akumatized. From your class, it was just the four of you by the door that got hit, and the other three, one after the other, followed the akuma. You just sat there. There are a few people from other classes are in similar situations. Neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir has arrived yet, and the akuma is roaming around town. Last I saw she was headed to the Eiffel Tower.”</p>
<p>“Thank you for coming to check on me, Luka.” Marinette smiled up at him, wondering how she was going to get away to transform, and where Chat Noir was. “Where’s Juleka now?”</p>
<p>“Most of the school has gone home, a few that come from further away are hiding downstairs. Juleka and Rose ran for the Liberty.”</p>
<p>“I should head home.” Marinette looked at him. “Did you need somewhere to hide out?”</p>
<p>Luka shook his head. “Akuma’s in the other direction. I’m heading back to the Liberty. Did you need me to walk you home?”</p>
<p>Marinette reached out and placed a hand on his forearm. “Thank you. I’ll be fine. I just live right across the street.”</p>
<p>He nodded, and they parted ways, hurrying to their respective homes. </p>
<p>Marinette rushed through her front door and up to her room, shouting a hurried greeting to her parents, and pausing only to grab a backup miraculous. Chat Noir wasn’t on the scene yet, and with both Nino and Alya under the Akuma’s spell, Marinette didn’t want to fight alone. The bangle weighed heavy in her hand, but he’d already saved her once today, and it felt right to lean on him again. She transformed as she pushed herself up through the skylight and was leaping off the roof within seconds. </p>
<p>She caught up with Luka just a half dozen blocks from the school, dropping down in an alley he was about to hurry past, reaching out and almost manhandling him into it. He quickly relaxed when he saw who had grabbed him, and smiled as he saw the dark octagonal box in her hand. </p>
<p>“Luka Couffaine, this is the Miraculous of the Snake that grants the power of Second Chance. You will use it for the greater good. Once we have defeated the akuma, you will return it to me. Can I trust you?”</p>
<p>He nodded briefly. “I’ll help you in any way that I can, Ladybug.” After a quick greeting for Sass, he transformed, and Viperion and Ladybug made their way across the rooftops to catch up with Desiree.</p>
<p>It didn’t surprise Ladybug that the akuma was on the Trocadero heading towards the Eiffel Tower. What did surprise her was the number of victims that were being hit, and just didn’t care. Several were following Desiree with the expectation that she would grant them their deepest desires, others were just staring into their own personal Mirrors of Erised. Every last one of them was smiling. </p>
<p>Looking over at Viperion, she smiled when he nodded and patted his chest before gesturing at the akuma. She looked closer and saw the glitter of the akuma’s reading glasses dangling around her neck. Nodding, she gestured at his bracelet and indicated that she was moving to the next roof before calling for her Lucky Charm. </p>
<p>He saw her reach the next rooftop, and nod at him, watching him flick the snakehead back before tossing her yo-yo into the air and snatching the small cylindrical object that fell. The akuma’s head turned towards the flash of pink and she smiled up at Ladybug. “Oh… so you’ve finally made it. Would you like to see what your heart desires?”</p>
<p>Standing tall she shook her head. “I already know what I most desire, Desiree. Hawkmoth’s downfall, so that he will no longer be able to take advantage of the people of Paris.”</p>
<p>Desiree shook her head at Ladybug, the soft smile never leaving her face. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I’m helping them by showing them what is truly in their heart.”</p>
<p>Ladybug held up the ballpoint pen, rhythmically clicking it, as she kept her eyes on Desiree. Viperion picked up the rhythm and started weaving a tune around the beat that Ladybug had set. The akuma’s head snapped around to him.</p>
<p>“Oh, Ladybug!” she called, as the smoke writhed around her body. “Where’s your partner?” When Ladybug glanced over at Viperion, Desiree continued, “not the snake, Chat Noir. Hawkmoth was very specific about which Miraculous he wanted.” A purple butterfly appeared across her face, and she paused, listening before she looked back at Viperion. “But, I’ll take your miraculous as well.” </p>
<p>Viperion kept playing the same tune on his lyre, keeping the akuma’s attention on him. Ladybug had slipped away, no longer clicking the pen. He didn’t follow her with his eyes, no matter how much he wanted to, although she reappeared in his line of sight to his right, a few meters away from him, slinking around the chimney. </p>
<p>His momentary distraction, however, was all that Desiree needed. Tendrils of smoke stole towards Viperion as he spoke soothingly to the akuma. Ladybug saw the smoke and called out a warning, but it was too late. As the smoke lapped over Viperion’s feet, Ladybug took a move out of Chat’s playbook and tackled him across the roof. She rolled them away from the smoke, not noticing that a tendril had coiled around her ankle and up her leg. </p>
<p>Ladybug and Viperion crouched behind the chimney, catching their breath, letting the spike of adrenaline calm, before turning to look at each other. She wasn’t sure who moved first, but suddenly they were wrapped around each other, but she blinked, and her hands were tangled in his hair, and his were gripping her hips, fingers digging in. </p>
<p>Their faces were mere inches apart and their eyes fluttered closed. “Marinette.” Viperion breathed her name as one hand came up to cup her face. Ladybug’s eyes shot open, as she took a step back.</p>
<p>“We got hit. At least one of us did, but is this my fantasy or yours?” She shook her head. “Why would this be yours? It must be mine. But I saw you get hit.” Cutting herself off, Ladybug stopped and took a deep breath. </p>
<p>Viperion was watching her, patiently, as she talked herself through the problem. “I would have definitely said this was my fantasy, but maybe we’re in one together? Elements of each of our desires blended together?”</p>
<p>Looking thoughtful, Ladybug nodded. “More importantly, how do we get back to reality?”</p>
<p>“I think accepting that this isn’t real should be enough. Like waking up from a dream.” Pausing, a smile stole across his face. “Or I could pinch you.”</p>
<p>Ladybug’s eyes lit up and she pinched her cheek, wanting the full force of the pressure to wake herself up. She blinked back tears at the pain, and suddenly, the pen was back in her previously empty hand. Glancing over, she saw that Viperion was still staring into space, but trembling as if he was desperately fighting it. </p>
<p>Looking around and seeing that Desiree was not in the immediate area, she stepped over to Viperion, placing a hand on his shoulder and calling to him. “Viperion. Viperion, come back to me. I need you.”</p>
<p>Viperion stilled under her hand and then his green eyes opened, blinking up at her, and cracking a grin. “Thank you, Ladybug. I appreciate…” He broke off, glancing over her shoulder. “Behind you. She’s coming.” His words were softly spoken but carried weight. “I’ll let you know when she’s close. She’s approaching directly behind you. You can turn and snatch her glasses in 3...2...1...now.”</p>
<p>Ladybug spun, and reached through the mist with her pen, yanking to snap the chain of Desiree’s glasses. She scrabbled for the glasses, but the dark purple butterfly was already escaping. Capturing it, Ladybug purified the butterfly, setting it free. </p>
<p>Looking around, Ladybug noticed that Viperion was down on one knee, his hand on the victim’s shoulder, voice too quiet for her to hear, but she knew he was offering words of comfort. She tapped him on his shoulder, and he followed her, after the Mlle. Caron assured them she could get herself back to the school. </p>
<p>Ladybug stopped them a few blocks from Luka’s home, and they dropped together into an alley, and Viperion dropped his transformation. Luka thanked Sass for his help, before sliding the bracelet off his and holding it out to Ladybug. “Thank you for trusting me with this, Ladybug.” He offered her one of his gentle smiles.</p>
<p>“Thank you for helping me out today. I really hope that Chat is alright. It’s unlike him to not show up.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure he’s fine, Ladybug, but you can always call on me for help.” </p>
<p>Her earrings beeped, and she waved at Luka before swinging away. He watched her go before turning back and heading towards home, wondering how much, if any, of what he’d seen when he’d been hit Ladybug had experienced with him. </p>
<p>When Marinette arrived on the Liberty the next morning for band practice, she caught Luka and asked to speak with him. Smiling his crooked smile, he led her down to the room that he shared with Juleka. She told him what she’d seen under the influence of the akuma. Luka just sat there and listened to her tell him about what she’d seen, how what she most deeply desired was love, a family, and the end of Hawkmoth. </p>
<p>When she wound down, he smiled at her. “I’m very happy for you Marinette, but you know you are the one in charge of what you want out of life, not what some akuma tells you.”</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, Marinette said, so softly, it was barely audible. “When you called my name, to bring me out of it, I wanted it to be you with me. In that life. I thought it was our life, and it made me so very happy.”</p>
<p>Stunned, Luka reached for her hand, stroking the knuckles softly with his thumb. “I’m not sure about marriage and children just yet, but I’d love to take you out on a date if you’re willing.”</p>
<p>Marinette nodded, her cheeks turning pink. “I’d love that.” She looked up, meeting his eyes, surprised to see how close his face was to hers. Summoning her courage, a little easier now after her earlier confession, she leaned forward and brushed her mouth against his. It was over, almost before it started, but then Luka’s free hand was on her shoulder, and she stopped her retreat, his lips chasing hers, finding them in a tender kiss. </p>
<p>The thought swirled in both of their minds as to what the other had experienced up there on the rooftops, whether they had truly shared a fantasy, or if they had been alone inside their own heads. Secret identities kept the questions locked inside their heads, that and the fact that their lips were too preoccupied to worry about talking.</p>
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